Briefly: Red Hot Chili Peppers, LeAnn Rimes, Depeche Mode, Buckwheat Zydeco

The Red Hot Chili Peppers will be the headlining attraction at a July 2 concert celebrating Las Vegas' 100th birthday.

The outdoor concert, which will also feature Weezer, takes place outside the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Free tickets--50,000 of them--will be available beginning April 18 through the website vegasrocks100.com.

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Country singer LeAnn Rimes has a broken vessel in her vocal cord, which has forced her to call off some concert appearances and to temporarily step down as the host of the USA Network talent show Nashville Star.

According to a press release, the condition was caused by a bout with severe bronchitis, and "although there is no timetable for her return to the stage, her doctors expect a speedy recovery."

Rimes canceled last Saturday's (4/9) planned gig in Arlington, TX, and has also called off an April 17 show in Florence, AZ.

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Depeche Mode is currently finishing work on its first studio album since 2001's "Exciter," according to the band's official website. The set, co-produced by the band with Ben Hillier (Blur, Doves), is expected to hit stores this fall.

"It's a great feeling to be back together in the studio again and we are very excited about the new material", frontman Dave Gahan said in a statement. "We are all feeling incredibly positive about the album. Ben Hillier has brought a whole new dynamic to the group which is quite inspiring."

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"Jackpot!," the first studio album from Buckwheat Zydeco in eight years, will hit stores June 7. Buckwheat's well-known accordion skills are on display throughout the set, but it also includes a three-song Hammond B3 organ suite titled "Encore featuring Organic Buckwheat."

According to a press release, Stanley "Buckwheat" Dural Jr. is backed on the set by his longtime touring band: Lee Allen Zeno (bass, vocals), Paul "Lil' Buck" Sinegal and Olivier Scoazec (lead guitars), Buckwheat's son Sir Reginald Master Dural (rubboard, vocals), Gerard St. Julien (drums) and Curtis Watson (trumpet).